Lt Thomas Hunt, Sr.

[Henry Barraud Hunt, Jr.]

Cont. of Generation 1-Thomas Hunt

When Thomas Hunt arrived there were no shires or counties. The colony of Maryland was not founded until 1632. The territory of Accomack extended all the way to the Delaware border. There were 400 people in Accomack at this time. Counties or shires were formed In 1634 and Captains were appointed in 1636. In 1630 there were no roads and all travel was by boat. The center of government was originally in the Secretaries land and this was north of Old Plantation. By 1638 the center of government was at Fishing Poynt and still  later moved to Eastville. Although the Indians were living all around them they did not suffer the consequences of a masacre such as the one in Jamestown in 1622. Obedience Robins developed a friendship with Debedevon, King of the Indians, and they were assured the Indians would be their friends and allies. The inhabitants were so pleased with Obedience Robins they named the county Northampton, after the birthplace of Robins.The Secretary of State, William Claiborne was making frequent visits to his sanctuary and making plans for the invasion of Maryland. He was now sending settlers to Kent Island and was planning to have William Andrews lead an expedition to Kent Island. Ensign Thomas Savage served as interpreter. The population had to contend with wolves which would scare the few horses that were kept on the peninsular. I wanted to give you a picture of what these earlier settlers were facing.

Lt. Thomas Hunt mar Joane Gawton, widow of Robert Drake, before 29 Mar 1641, See Orders, Deeds, Wills, etc,.II #2, 1640-1645, Northampton Co, page 35-Thomas Hunt, having married the widow of the deceased, is ordered to take possession of a plantation for the use and benefit of the dec'd's children. Joane left a will which provides us greater detail. I shall present the will at the close of Generation 1. See Plantagenet Ancestry page 665 vol 1 for details on Joane Gawton, her birth, her ancestry and both marriages. Joane was baptized 17 Nov 1602, in Rygate, Surry, England and died 26 Feb 1656. It is certain that Lt Thomas Hunt knew the Drakes when in London and the three of them came to Virginia on the very same boat. We find that the 50 acre patent of Thomas Hunt were recorded on the same page. See Patent Book 1, part 1pages 41 and 376. They are both recorded on the very same page. This tells me they both sought their patents on the same day and came here together on the same ship. Turning now to Thomas Hunt it is obvious that he had a strategic plan to to gain control of shipping in the Northampton County. I shall show him making a purchase of the land at Fishing Poynt and that he quickly purchased a galleon to sell fish to the residents of Jamestown and James City County. Thomas Hunt was definitely an experienced sailor and handled his ship with no difficulty. Before long Fishing Poynt became Hunt's Poynt. I have read that a Thomas Hunt was Navigator for Captain John Smith when he explored the waters off the Canadian coast. I cannot help but wonder if this was my Thomas Hunt.

In 1635 there was recorded a patent of 150 acres at Fishing Poynt. In 1638 an additional patent of 290 acres In 1643 there is an entry for Thomas Hunt that he bought of William Berriman all of this land.

Several years after Thomas Hunt arrived there came John Neale who shortly thereafter was appointed captain for the area around Hunt's Point. His land joined the southern border of Thomas Hunt. He acquired two other patents, one being Smith's Island, initially named for Captain John Smith but changed to Thomas Smith. This was done because Capt Smith had a cloud over him.